A seven-year-old girl from Hartland,
Wisconsin, in the US, has received an outpouring of canine love after she was
recently diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour.

About a month ago Emma Mertens was
diagnosed with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG), a rare brain tumour, People reports.

Shortly after her diagnosis, the
little girl requested for dog owners around the world to send her loving
messages from their furry friends. So far Emma has received more than
50 000 letters, reports ABC News.

Emma’s parents, Geoff and Tammy, say the
little girl adores dogs despite the family not owning one of their own.

"If you knew Emma,
she's the most kind, big-hearted girl," Geoff told the TV show Good
Morning America.

"To see so many
people take a few minutes out of their day to put a smile on her face is
overwhelming."

Emma is currently
undergoing radiation at the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Geoff says the family are
doing everything they can to beat the disease.

"We know we have a
very steep road ahead of us. We aren't going to stop fighting until we can find
a cure for this," he added.

According to WISN Milwaukee, the family has set up a
GoFundMe account in which people are encouraged to donate in order to help the
family cover their medical bills.